Legal News

Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg has told the Sunday Express newspaper that mental health is still top of his party’s agenda – and reforming mental health services will be a “front-page” pledge in the Liberal Democrat Election Manifesto.

All three main political parties have pledged to place mental health care on a par with services for physical health conditions.

< a href="http://www.express.co.uk/comment/expresscomment/538844/Nick-Clegg-Mental-Health-Lib-Dem-manifesto-elections?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+daily-express-express comment+%28Daily+Express+%3A%3A+Express+Comment+Feed%29">Writing in the Sunday Express, Mr Clegg said that for too long mental health had been sidelined in NHS services – with patients speaking of “their battles with psychosis, ¬bipolar and schizophrenia: serious but treatable conditions”.

Mr Clegg writes that many patients endure years of suffering as a result of failures in treatment.

“Frequently they would seek help, only to be put on drugs ¬indefinitely and admitted to ¬hospital repeatedly: often their problems worsened.”

Mr Clegg says that as a result of mental health being sidelined in the NHS, many patients have “missed out” on the best treatments available for their condition.

“They have simply been parked in institutions and prescribed ¬powerful medication that reduces their symptoms, but does little to tackle the root cause of their conditions,” he writes.

Mr Clegg said that his £400 million initiative to promote talking therapies in the NHS was making a difference to thousands of mental health patients.

“For the first time, they are learning skills to manage their conditions. Simple human compassion and support from a devoted therapist has made all the difference,” he writes.

Mr Clegg adds that to tackle waiting times for mental health patients, fixed waiting times will be introduced in April 2015.

“To fix this injustice, in April next year the coalition government will introduce the first fixed ¬waiting times for mental health in the NHS.

“If you are waiting for talking therapies to help with your depression you will be seen within six weeks –18 weeks at an absolute maximum – just as if you are waiting for a hip operation.

“If you are a young person ¬experiencing psychosis for the first time, you will be seen within two weeks – just as you are if you are ¬worried you have cancer.”

Mr Clegg said that his decision to make mental health a focus of his policies had been met with surprise in some quarters, including some of his fellow MPs.

“For that very reason I have decided to make mental health one of my priorities for the next parliament, something no political party has ever done before.

“I want this commitment to ¬continue to overhaul our mental health services on the front page of the Liberal Democrat manifesto at the next election. That will include setting up a fund to seek out the best new treatments and spread them across the NHS – and we will boost funding by ¬£500m.

“Mental health is as important as physical health – and it is time it got the status it deserves.”

Mr Clegg also congratulated the Sunday Express on the newspaper’s campaigns to raise mental health awareness and break down the taboos around mental health.

Duncan Lewis Mental Health Lawyers

Duncan Lewis mental health lawyers are the UK’s leading provider of Legal Aid mental health services – and are able to advise mental health patients on access to services and detention under the Mental Health Act.

In some cases, Duncan Lewis mental health lawyers may be able to advise the Nearest Relative or carer of a mental health patient – including initiating treatment reviews for a patient, where appropriate.

For expert legal advice on mental health law, call the Duncan Lewis Mental Health Solicitors Helpline on 07920 077054.